Posts by Kenneth Berding

Kenneth Berding

Kenneth Berding is a professor of New Testament at Talbot School of Theology. He is an author of various books, some academic (such as Polycarp and Paul), some semi-academic (such as What Are Spiritual Gifts? Rethinking the Conventional View), others for-the-classroom (such as Sing and Learn New Testament Greek or The Apostolic Fathers: A Narrative Introduction), and still others for-the-church (such as Walking in the Spirit or Bible Revival: Recommitting Ourselves to One Book). He has published articles in such journals as the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Vigiliae Christianae, New Testament Studies, and Journal of Early Christian Studies. He is the director of . Before coming to Talbot, Berding was a church planter in the Middle East and taught at Nyack College just north of New York City. He has a heart for God and ministry, has written many worship songs, and has served as a worship pastor in local church ministry.

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The Good Book Blog
Should We Translate τέλος (telos) as “End Goal” in Romans 10:4?
Kenneth Berding — February 24, 2023
Recently, I was teaching a class session ( Life & Letters of Paul ) when a student asked me to define the word τέλος (telos) in Romans 10:4...
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What is Christian Revival? Three Resources to Help You Understand Revival
Kenneth Berding — February 16, 2023
A Christian revival is a moment in history when 1) the hearts of many of God’s people are awakened to greater love and commitment to Christ, 2)...
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Joy
Kenneth Berding — February 03, 2023
“What are the joy-stealers? Why do so many of us struggle with joy?” I often ask my students this question when we open the book of Philippians. “...
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Based
Kenneth Berding — January 30, 2023
Last semester a young college friend challenged me (dared me?) to try to use the contemporary slang word “based” during one of my college class...
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Does an Elder Have to be “Able to Teach?” (1 Timothy 3:2)
Kenneth Berding — January 23, 2023
Yes. An elder has to be “able to teach.” It is one of the qualifications for becoming an elder. However, “able to teach” in 1 Timothy 3:2 may not...
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Seven Favorite Christian Books of 2022
Kenneth Berding — January 04, 2023
I read a lot of helpful Christian books this past year, but here are my seven favorites. Surprisingly, I read the first five before the end of...
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My Three Least Favorite “Christmas” Playlist Songs
Kenneth Berding — December 14, 2022
I dislike playing the part of the Grinch, but can we as Christians admit that there are some really awful “Christmas” songs that have become...
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What is “Contextualization?” What is “Syncretism?”
Kenneth Berding — December 07, 2022
Contextualization is putting the gospel into cultural forms that are easier for recipients to understand and receive without changing the...
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How to Change a Prayer Worrier into a Prayer Warrior
Kenneth Berding — November 11, 2022
Are you a “prayer worrier” or a “prayer warrior”? What’s the difference? prayer worriers only pray about things that they’re worried about. The...
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A Biblical Spectrum of Guidance from God (From Clearest to Least Clear)
Kenneth Berding — November 07, 2022
What if we were to plot biblical examples of the leading of the Spirit on a continuum from clearest communication to least clear? That’s what I...
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Reclaiming the Language of “Temptation” in Christian Discussions of Human Sexuality
Kenneth Berding — November 03, 2022
I recently sat in (yet another) seminar about how to counsel Christians [1] who are tempted toward same-sex sexual activity or tempted to embrace a...
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What Does “As the Deer Pants for the Water” Mean (Psalm 42:1)?
Kenneth Berding — October 20, 2022
I used to love Psalm 42. I still do. But now it’s for a slightly different reason. When I was younger, I often quoted the first words of the Psalm...
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Perseverance and Apostasy
Kenneth Berding — October 12, 2022
Dr. Dongsu Kim recently published a valuable (and very large!) book entitled Perseverance and Apostasy in the New Testament: Unpacking the Dynamic...
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Personas, Platforms, and Profits
Kenneth Berding — September 21, 2022
51�ԹϺ�� a year ago I spent a couple hours talking with my long-time friend, Adam Day (a professor at Tyndale Seminary in Amsterdam, the Netherlands),...
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The Chronicler Teaches Us What it Means to “Seek” the Lord
Kenneth Berding — September 14, 2022
I recently stumbled upon a delightful biblical discovery while doing a word search on the word “seek.” I discovered that the most common place in...
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Wordle or God’s Word?
Kenneth Berding — September 07, 2022
What is the average amount of time it takes to solve a Wordle puzzle? I can’t locate any hard data on this question, but a guy who wrote a computer...
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What is a “Stronghold”? (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)
Kenneth Berding — August 31, 2022
“We pray against this stronghold…” Have you ever heard someone utter this line in prayer — or have you uttered it yourself? If you have ever used...
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“All Fall Short of the Glory of God.” But What is the “Glory of God”?
Kenneth Berding — August 03, 2022
What is the meaning of “fall short of the glory of God” (ὑστεροῦνται τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ) in Romans 3:23? (“For all have sinned and fall short of...
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“A�ܳٳ��Գپ��ٲ�”
Kenneth Berding — July 29, 2022
Authenticity. Now there’s an important word in our generation. Young people are fed up with fakeness and are sick of sham. Not long ago a youth...
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Bored with the Bible
Kenneth Berding — July 25, 2022
“Your law is my delight.” (Ps. 119:77). Have you ever felt like this verse, or verses like it, mock you? I certainly have felt that way at times....
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Would You Believe If God Gave You a Miracle?
Kenneth Berding — July 20, 2022
“If only God showed me an extraordinary miracle, I would believe.” Really? Are you sure that you would actually start believing in the existence of...
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“Just Say No” to Sin?
Kenneth Berding — July 15, 2022
Do you remember the “just say no to drugs” campaign waged a number of years ago? (The slogan “just say no” continues to be used in schools across...
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What Does the Word “Comfort” Mean in 2 Corinthians 1:3-7?
Kenneth Berding — July 08, 2022
What do you think of when you hear the word “comfort”? I think of a flannel shirt I bought twenty years ago (and still sometimes wear!), the world’...
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What is Progressive Dispensationalism?
Kenneth Berding — June 15, 2022
Progressive Dispensationalism is a pattern of biblical interpretation that focuses — not entirely, but most particularly — on the question of how...
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Does Your Mind Wander in Prayer?
Kenneth Berding — June 06, 2022
Last week, I participated at a conference on prayer with my colleague David Talley . One of the questions I was asked during a Q & A time had...